Naver invests in US maritime AI data center startup Pantalassa

Naver has invested in Pantalassa, a US startup developing maritime AI data centers, though the size of the investment was not disclosed.

Naver said Thursday it invested in Pantalassa to secure a lead in next-generation, renewable-energy-based AI data center technology, as the company accelerates its push to build out AI data center infrastructure.

Pantalassa is a startup developing floating AI data centers powered by wave energy. It was founded in the United States in 2016.

Naver highlighted Pantalassa's eco-friendly data center model as a key strength. The model allows a dedicated power unit to generate electricity continuously from wave energy without fuel. Naver described the technology as essential at a time when surging power demand from the global spread of AI has made securing electricity a top priority.

Pantalassa's floating node platform integrates all the core functions needed to build and operate an AI data center in one unit at sea — including power generation, AI computing and processing, and cooling.

Naver also said the floating design eliminates land acquisition costs associated with building a conventional data center, making it more cost-efficient than above-ground facilities. The platform uses seawater for server cooling, replacing the energy-intensive cooling systems that account for a large share of power consumption in land-based data centers.

The nodes can handle AI workloads such as computing and processing directly, without separate transmission infrastructure. Results are relayed to land via low-Earth orbit satellite networks, including Starlink. Low-Earth orbit satellites offer low latency, making them well suited for AI inference tasks that require fast response times. The setup also enables global connectivity without undersea cables, reducing geographic constraints.

Pantalassa has already conducted maritime demonstrations using its wave-energy platforms, Ocean-1 and Ocean-2. It plans to deploy its Ocean-3 platform for demonstration this year, targeting commercial operations in 2027.

"Naver is expanding into the AI data center business and rapidly building differentiated data center infrastructure through global partnerships," Naver Chief Executive Choi Su-yeon said. "We will proactively invest in next-generation technologies such as wave-energy-based renewable AI data centers to strengthen our competitiveness in the global AI infrastructure market on multiple fronts."

Naver has been moving aggressively to secure AI infrastructure. The company partnered with Nvidia in June to build a global AI factory, and in July it was reported to be in talks with Brookfield over an infrastructure investment plan worth around $9 billion. Under the expected arrangement, Naver would handle AI services, Nvidia the technology ecosystem, and Brookfield capital and investment.

Naver has said it will begin generating specific revenue from its AI factory in the first half of next year. Speaking at a second-quarter earnings conference call Friday, CEO Choi said the AI factory is expected to launch at a scale of 55 MW in the first half of 2027 and begin generating sales, with plans to eventually expand service capacity to the gigawatt level.